Tuesday, October 9, 2007

from my book

Care About Others

Your relationship with others will be as varied as the people you encounter and will be determined by many factors, not the least of which will be your own personality and psychological style. But regardless of who and what you are, there are certain basic tenets that I would urge you to follow. Be respectful of others, regardless of their position in our socio-economic conscious society. Be your real self with both the room maid and the hotel manager. Be tolerant of ideas, beliefs, and behavior that differ from yours; no one has a monopoly on the truth. With grace forgive the weaknesses of others and do not judge what you may perceive to be their shortcomings. Forgive first offenses. Overlook minor slights. Enable and nurture; be one who helps other achieve their own selfhood. Act in such a way that others will feel better for knowing you. Be honest toward others. Do not present yourself to be other than who you are. And do not deceive or use others to achieve your own way or goals. Be gracious and humble about your own accomplishments and success and be mindful of those blessings you have been given. You did nothing to be born into a loving and supportive family and to have the economic advantages so many others lack. Do not be so quick to take credit for what you perceive are you own accomplishments, more often than not there were many forces not of your own doing, that helped shape them. Do not take credit for God’s grace.